Selling commercial time for own show

[fltalk]

Its becoming apparent to me that for me to get my show on the air, I will need to buy time on a station and sell the commercials. I have some radio experience, from an internship, but cannot get a job there b/c they aren't hiring on-air talent right now.
The show will be news/talk.

The problem is this: I don't know how to sell commercials, whom to approach, what rates to charge, the whole thing.

You guys are pros at this. What kinds of advice can you give me, for I have no idea how to do this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[amfmsw]

1. Sell the concept, not the station, coverage or ratings. No matter how bad the time slot, signal, audience size or AM or FM, you're offering somehting NO ONE else can...you!

2. Make they're spot stand out. Offer to do it live, working off a fact sheet on information. Make it personalized, even if they have a produced spot running elsewhere. If they have a jingle...play it, then read live as you fade it out.

3. Pander to the clients needs. Don't sell the show, just talk to potential sponsors who would benefit from being on your program. Hardware, Hunting/Fishing/Tackle, Diners, Smaller Car Dealers. Offer to include an exclusive Car Tip segment, sell and Auto Parts Store. Fishing Report to the Marina. Handyman Tips...Hardware. Legal...Lawyers. Financial...Accountants/Banks. Get it? You can easily pull stuff of the net to report, and let them sponsor it. Just credit your sources.

4. Pander to the clients...offer to let them on as a guest...but make sure you get phone calls. Offer to let them record they're own spot. You don't need expensive equipment, or a studio. A portable recorder will do, and edit it at the station. Put their kids on.

5. Collect weekly. Better yet, ask for a check for the first month when they say yes.

6. DELIVER promises.

 

[Stewy]

AMFM's right on target! As for charging do a little simple math: what's the air time going to cost, plus what's the equipment you'll need (recorder) going to cost and what are the additional costs going to be (who's doing your books/billing, do them all yourself just go to the book store and get the Dummies guide to office management or something similar) add it all up and there's your operating cost. Then figure how much YOU want to get paid (include the IRS in case you really hit it well) and add it to the operational cost and you get the amount you need to generate. Then divide the total anticipated cost for the month by the number of ads you'll put on your show in a month and you have a price per ad! Wait, figure that you'll only sell half that number of available ads the first month so double the price per ad and you should be solvent.

Best I can do without market rate info etc etc etc ad nauseum.

Good luck, jump on in and when you have questions just post and we'll help as much as possible.

 

[fltalk]

Thank you guys VERY much for the help. If you have any further ideas, or if anyone else has any ideas, please feel free to post them. I will let you know how things go.

 

[J-Rod]

I would say try and get a title sponsor... like the "Fl Talk Show brought to you by Brand X" or the "Brand X FlTalk show"


a couple of friends of mine do that on a local late night classic rock show and make a bit of change doing it. They buy the Air time from the station and run the "Budwiser Music Highway"